Rotary engine.



PATB'NTED AUG. zo, 1907.

R. E. KRAUSE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION. FILED Nov. 1o. 190e.

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No. 863,727. PATENTE) AUGL 20, 1907. R. E. KRAUSE.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLIOATION imm Nov. 1o. 190e.

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W/T/l/ESSES' l ATTORNEYS No. 863,727. PATENTBD AUG. 2o, 19o?. mE. KRAUSB.'

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIUMION FILED-NW10. 1905.

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PATENTED AUG. 2Q, 1907.

R. E. KRAUSE. ROTARY ENGINE. APPLIUATION FILED Nov.1o. 190s.

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UNITED sTATns PATENT OFFICE..

RICHARD E. KRAUSE, OF NEW YORK, N.

Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ERNEST J. KALTENBACH, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

'ROTARY ENGINE.

Patented Aug. 20, 1907.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD E. KRAUsE, a subject of the King of Sweden, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

An engine embodying my improvements is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an end elevation of the engine, with some` parts broken away and others in section; Fig. 2 is af plan view of the engine, with parts broken away and others in section; Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an end elevation showing a slightly different arrangement of certain engine parts; Fig. 5 is an inside face view of one of the end plates of the engine; Fig. 6 is a face view of one of the cylindrical rings forming part of the engine casing; Fig. 7 is a face view of a partition forming a midplate in said casing; Fig. 8 is a face view of the cylindrical ring on the other side of the midplate; Fig. 9 is an inside face view of the. other end plate; Fig. 10 is a face view of one of the pack-I ing strips employed on the end faces of the piston; Figs. ll and 12 are cross-sections on lines 1111 and l2-12 respectivelyv of Fig. 10; Fig. 13 is a partial elevation of the three connected packing strips applied to the piston, and Fig. 14 is a perspective view of that portion of one of the cylindrical rings through which;

the abutment passes.

The engine shown in the drawings comprises a casing of; a general cylindrical shape, divided into two chambers. bya central partition parallel with the ends or coversl In detail, the end plates A, a and the midplateor partition B are shown provided with peripheral shoulders;r against which are fitted cylindrical rings C, c, all of@ these parts having holes A, a, B, G, c respectivelyl for the passage of bolts D which with the aid of nuts D` hold the said parts together. At diametrically opposite points, the end plates are provided with extensions A2, a2, and at corresponding points the partition B and the rings C, c have similar extensions B2, G2, c2, respectively. One of the end plates, A (an inside view of which is shown in Fig. 5) is provided on its outside with a cover plate E, suitably fashioned to form with the end plate a chamber F into which the compressed air, steam, or other driving medium is admitted through a pipe G. From the chamber F,.the driving medium passes either to a port H or a port H according to the position of a valve .I contained in said chamber and pressed against its seat by the driving medium. This valve has a radial stem J suitably guided, and pressed inward by a spring K against a cam L upon the shaft L which is journaled in the end plates A, a, the midend plate A and the midplate B. (In Figs. 6 to 9 the several parts have been shown in the same position which they occupy when assembled, but the end plate A is shown reversed in Fig. 5, that is, the part shown at the left of Fig. 5 fits on the part shown at the right of Fig. 6.) The port H communicates with a channel A7 in the end plate A, the orifice of said channel registering with passages 05, B3 and c5 of the ring C, midplate B, and ring c respectively. The passage c5 communicates with an orifice a7 in the end plate a, from which two channels a3, a4 lead to cross-passages a5, a, respectively, communicating with admission ports c3, c4 respectively. These ports are formed as grooves or slots in the ring extensions c2 at diametrically opposite points, preferably in exactly the same positions as the ports C3, C4 as will be seen by comparing Fig. G with Fig. 8. Thus it will be understood that according to the position of the valve I, the driving medium will be admitted at diametrically opposite points,-to one or the other of the compartments separated by the midplate B. The driving fluid is allowed to escape, after performing its work, through exhaust ports C, C7, c, c7 respectively formed as grooves or slots in the ring extensions C2, c2 respectively, at diametrically opposite points which are at a slight distance from the admission ports C3, C4, c3, c4 respectively.

Between the inlets C3, C4, C, c4 and the adjacent outlets C6, C7, c6, c7 respectively, the ring extensions C2, c2 are provided with guide slots O8, c8 respectively, the width of which is equal to the distance between the opposing faces of the end plates A, a and the midplate B, as shown in Fig. 2. In the slotted faces of the extensions G2, c2, are tted and bolted or otherwise secured caps Q which also it tightly on the end plates A, a and on the midplate B. These caps are formed with guides registering with the slots C8, cs, and in said slots and guides are adapted to move the sliding abutments, the inner ends of which project into the chambers of the casing, to engage the pistons L2 secured to the shaft L. Each piston is provided with a plurality of radial or approximately radial shoulders L3, at the outer ends of which the piston engages the inner peripheral surface of the ring C or c. The

greater portion of the pistons periphery is cylindrical,

and there is a gradual transition from the cylindrical v serves as an abutment for the outer end of a spring P which forces the section O inward. This plug is also engaged by a spring R contained in the cap Q andforcing the entire abutment inward. A plug Q screwing into the cap Q engages the outer end of the .spring R. To check the outward movement of the abutment I employ a buffer of any suitable construction, for instance a 'spring S interposed between the plugs O3 and Q and so short that it will not be co'm- A pressed until the abutment reaches its outermost position as shown at the top in Fig. 2. A groove O4 may strips are held together by pins be provided in that surface of the abutment section O which is in engagement with the piston L2.

In order to secure a tight joint between the piston and the casing, I provide self-adjusting packing strips of a peculiar construction and arrangement on the end plates A, a, the midplate its greatest diameter, and comprise at each point two strips on the end faces of the piston and a connecting strip on the periphery of the piston. For the convenience of manufacture each of the side strips T may be rectangular, but the packing strip itself, that is the portion adapted to engage the end plate A or a or 'the midplate B, tapers toward the shaft L, as shown at T.

Fig. 3) and their ends fit into grooves or sockets in the shaft L. The outer ends of the side strips T, T are reduced, as shown at T3, for connection with the forked ends U3 of the lcross strip U having a rib U to engage the rinner periphery of the ring C or c. vThe extending through the forks U3 and reduced 'ends T3, with sufficient play to allow the side strips T, T to move 'from each other and the cross strip U lto move outward, under the influence of springs V set in pockets of the piston. The ribs T, U are preferably rounded (Figs. 11 and 12) at that edge which is forward during rotation. Preferr ably, they are also provided with longitudinalgrooves, T2, U2 to retain lubricant.

Packing strips t similar to the strips T and vpressed by springs r are located in radial grooves AS, B4, a8 arranged in the end plate A, midplate B and end spectively, The strips tcorrespond exactly to the showing in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, except that the reduced extension T3 is omitted. They are also shorter, so as not to interfere with the inward movement of the abutment, (see Fig. 2, especially the lower half thereof.) The rounded edges of the strips t face rearward, so that during the rotation `O the piston, therounded edges of the strips T, t will cometogether first, allowing the piston strips T'to slide easily over the stationary stripsft. As these plate a re- B, and the piston L2. Thel packing strips on the piston are arranged at points of and insertion, the base of` These side strips T i are fitted into suitable grooves of the pistons L2 y(see abutment.

in line with the center of each abutment.

`rangement vpresents the stripsv taper inwardly, having radial edges, they will engage with and leave each other at the same moment over their entire length.

The steps or shoulders L3 of the .pistons on opposite sides of the midplate B are staggered, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, so that the engine is self-starting in any position; that is, there is a difference of 90 between the positions of the steps or shoulders L3 on opposite sides of the midplate B.

In operatiomthe air, steam or other driving medium enters at Gr into the chamber F, and according to the position of the valve J passes to one side ofthe midplate B or the other, reaching the admission ports C3, C4 or c3, c4 respectively. The same s et of ports remain open for a quarter of a revolution at a time, and then the position of the valve .l is changed by the cam L and the driving medium passes to the other half of the engine, on the opposite side of the 'midplate B. The driving medium fills the space between the abutments and the shoulders L3 of the active piston, at vdiametri'cally opposite points, so that one-sided strains are avoided. The springs I), R keep the abutment against the periphery of the piston. Packing vstrips of the character described might be proand end plates, but I believe that in practice this will not be necessary. yThe rotary parts, however, which are subject to much greater wear, require very efiicient 'and self-adjusting packing. The cross strips U will prevent the escapeof steam along the pistons periphery, and the side strips, T, T will prevent any leakage between the flat 'faces of the piston and the end plate or midplate, adjacent to the steps ,or shoulders L3. Similarly, the self-adjusting spring-pressed packing strips t, in line with theabutments, will hug the flat faces of the piston tightly, so that no escape of driving medium is possible from what may be termed the working chamber, that is, the sector bounded by two radii drawn respectively through anabutment and the packing strip U which at the time is inoperative relation to said The rounding of those edges of the strips T, t which are adapted to engage each other first, insures an easy passage of the rotary strips over the stationary ones. The engine, therefore, has and preserves tight joints, and consequentlyits efficiency does not diminish owing to `leakage due to wear. The construction of the abutment in two sections having a spring connection relieves the abutment of jars during the inward movement, that is, when the abutment suddenly jumps the distance of the step or shoulder HL. This construction also -prevents the repeated impact of the abutment from wearing a groove into -the piston surface, since the shock is taken upsuccessively byfthe springs l?, R and is therefore'much lighter. Similarly, as the abutment lis raised, or moved away from the center, -by the rotation'of the piston, the shock is avoided or deadlened by thesuccessive action of the springs P and R and ofthe buffer constituted by the spring S or otherwise constructed. The abutment 1is somewhat wider thanthe piston, and the end plates A, a, and midplate 'B have guide grooves for the abutment.

In Fig. 'l thepositio'n of the -port A" and of the valve .I is just 90 from'the'positions ofthe twoabutments, and corresponding'positions of the `ports 1133, C5, c5, a", have been shown in Figs. 3 and 5 to 9 inclusive. This arslight drawback that lthe disvided on sides 'of the abutment to 'engage the midplate tance from the port H to the port A5 is a little greater than that to the port A, and the same thing is true of the relative distances from the port H to the ports a5, a6 (see Figs. 5 and 9). The operation might therefore be slightly uneven owing to an uneven distribution of the driving medium. In order that the paths from the ports H, H to the respective ports A5 and A( or a5 and a6 may be of exactly the same length (thus avoiding the uneven action above referred to) it is sufficient to adopt the slightly different arrangement shown in Fig. 4, Where the port A7 and the ports H, H lie a little to one side, on a perpendicular drawn through the center to a diameter connecting the centers of the ports A5, A6. The valve J, and ports B3, G5, c5 and a7 would of course be shifted accordingly.

This re-arrangement, and other changes may be made Without departing from the nature of my invention as defined in the appended claims. I claim as my invention 1. A rotary engine comprising a cyiinui-ical casing having an inlet and an outlet for the driving medium, and provided with end plates, elastic packing strips extending inward on said plates adjacent t0 the inlet, a rotary piston in said casing, elastic packing strips extending inward on the end faces of the piston, and a sliding abutment adjacent to said inlet.

2. A rotary engine comprising a cylindrical casing having an inlet and an outlet for the driving medium, and provided with end plates, elastic packing strips extending radially on said plates adjacent to the inlet and tapering toward the center of the casing, a rotary piston in said casing, elastic packing strips extending' radially on the end faces of the piston and tapering toward the pistons axis, and a sliding abutment adjacent to said inlet and in engagement with the pistons periphery.

A rotary engine comprising a cylindrical casing having an inlet and an outlet for the driving medium, and provided with end plates, elastic packing strips extending inward on said plates adjacent to the inlet, a rotary piston in said casing, elastic packing strips extending inward on the end faces of the piston, the said packing strips having longitudinal grooves in their operative surfaces, and a `sliding abutment adjacent to the inlet and in engagement with the piston. I

4. A rotary engine comprising a cylindrical casing having an inlet and an outlet for the driving medium, and provided with end plates, elastic packing strips extending radially on said plates adjacent to the inlet and tapering toward the center of the casing, a rotary piston in said casing, elastic packing strips extending radially on the end faces of the piston and tapering toward the pistons axis, all of the said packing strips having longitudinal grooves in their operative surfaces, and a sliding abutment engaging the piston adjacent to the inlet.

5. A rotary engine comprising a cylindrical casing having an inlet and an outlet for the driving medium, and provided with end plates, a rotary piston in the casing, a sliding abutment engaging the piston, spring-pressed packing strips extending radially on said end plates, springpresscd packing strips extending radially on both end faces of the piston, and a spring-pressed packing strip arranged transversely on the periphery of the piston and in engagement with the cylindrical inner wall of the casing.

G. A rotary engine comprising a cylindrical casing having an inlet and an outlet for the driving medium, and

provided with end plates, a rotary piston in the casing, a.

sliding abutment engaging the piston, spring-pressed packing strips extending radially on said end plates, springpressed packing strips extending radially on both end faces of the piston, and a spring-pressed packing strip arranged transversely on the periphery of the piston and in engagement with the cylindrical inner wall of the casing, the said radial packing strips being rounded along those edges which are adapted to engage each other first during the rotation of the piston, to allow them to pass over each other smoothly.

7. A rotary engine comprising a casing having an inlet and an outlet for the driving medium, and provided with end plates, a rotary member arranged in the casing, springpressed packing strips extending radially on the end faces of said member at corresponding points and engaging the end plates of the casing, and a spring-pressed transverse packing strip extending from one of said radial strips to the other and connected therewith so that the ,three strips may be applied and removed together, the connection being a loose one so as to allow each of the connected strips to move independently within certain limits, said transverse packing strip being arranged on the periphery of the rotary member and in engagement with the cylindrical inner wall of the casing.

8. A rotary engine comprising a cylindrical casing having an inlet and an outlet for the driving medium, and provided with end plates, a rotary piston in the casing, a sliding abutment engaging the piston, spring-pressed packing strips extending radially on said end plates, springpressed packing strips extending radially on both end faces of the piston, and a spring-pressed packing strip arranged transversely on the periphery of the piston and in engagement with the cylindrical inner wall of the casing, the said radial packing strips tapering toward the axis, on their operative surfaces.

9. A rotary engine comprising a cylindrical casing having an inlet and an outlet for the driving medium, and provided with end plates, a rotary piston in the casing, a sliding abutment engaging the piston, spring-pressed packing strips extending radially on said end plates, springpressed packing strips extending radially on both end faces of the piston, and a spring-pressed packing strip arranged transversely on the periphery of the piston and in engagement with the cylindrical inner wall of the casing, the said radial packing strips having longitudinal grooves in their operating surfaces.

10. A rotary engine comprising a cylindrical casing having an inlet and an outlet for the driving medium, and provided with end plates, elastic packing strips extending inward on said plates adjacent to the inlet, a rotary piston in the casing, elastic packing strips extending inward on the end faces of the piston, the meeting edges of the said casing strips and piston strips being rounded to allow them to pass over each other smoothly, and a sliding abutment arranged to engage the piston adjacent to said inlet.

11. A rotary engine comprising a casing with a partition dividing it into two compartments, an inlet chamber having separate connections wit-h said compartments, rotary members in said compartments, a shaft on which both members are secured, a valve mounted to slide radially toward and from said shaft, for connecting the inlet chamber with said compartments alternately, and means for operating the valve from the shaft directly.

12. A rotary engine comprising a casing provided with an inlet and an outlet, a rotary member in said casing, au abutment arranged to slide in the casing between the inlet and the outlet, said abutment consisting of an inner member and an outer member having a limited sliding movement relatively to each other, a spring for pressing the inner member inward relatively to the outer member, another spring for pressing the outer member and the inner member toward the `rotary member, and a butter for checking the outward movement of the outer abutment member.

13. A rotary engine comprising a casing provided with an inlet and an outlet, a rotary member in said casing, an abutment arranged to slide in the casing between thc inlet and the outlet, said abutment consisting of telescoping members, means having a tendency to separate said abntment members, means for pressing the abutment against the periphery of the rotary member', and a buffer for checking the outward movement of the abutment.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my naine in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN Lorna, JOHN A. KEHLnNBncK. 

